Reading together for fun Read-Aloud tips

December 06, 1998

Reading together with your child can be a wonderful time for both of you. But - there's always at least one "but" - moms and dads do have tendencies in reading time that can make the experience less valuable for their children. So here's a little advice from Paul Kropp, author of "Raising a Reader."

* Mom: Resist the temptation to teach. Many mothers feel that family reading time also should make up for any defects in the school reading program, so your poor child is asked to sound out word after word when he just wants to get on with the story. Ease up. Keep the reading fun.

* Dad: Don't rush it. Some fathers seem to set a goal of getting through so many books or so many pages during family reading time. The result is a tendency to give short shrift to your child's questions or the talk that should come out of reading. Slow down. If you read only one page and then spend 15 minutes having a lengthy discussion, your child's reading development will still be well served.